


Sweet Baby James

by boneslegendaryhands



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-16
Updated: 2013-11-16
Packaged: 2018-01-01 17:09:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1046381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boneslegendaryhands/pseuds/boneslegendaryhands
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>From a tumblr prompt: "Deaged!Jim clinging to Bones like a little duckling and just generally adoring him <3 fluff fluff fluff"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sweet Baby James

**Author's Note:**

  * For [slashsailing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/slashsailing/gifts).



Leonard McCoy set the PADD down and stretched. It’d been two weeks since the incident on Clomer VI, and he still hadn’t figured out how to fix Jim. The mission was supposed to just be a simple “Hey, look how great the Federation is, come join us!” meeting, but apparently there was a small faction of inhabitants who wanted nothing to do with the Federation. They managed to disrupt the negotiations and get close enough to Jim to throw some sort of substance at him. They weren’t trying to kill or harm him, but the effects of whatever this powder was caused Jim to de-age 25 years and he was now currently 3 years old. And sleeping in the next room.

McCoy had been working tirelessly to try and find some sort of antidote, but so far hadn’t been successful. He was getting closer, but the formula was still not quite right and he couldn’t figure out what he was missing. He knew he needed sleep, but between his CMO duties, trying to find the antidote and taking care of a three year-old, he was lucky he managed a couple hours at a time.

Adult Jim was a handful, but three year old Jim was a little terror. Not only had his body regressed 25 years, but his mind did as well. Although, something in his mind knew how important Bones was to him, because where Bones was, Jim was. He rarely let Bones out of his sight, whether he was in sick bay, on the bridge, in the mess or in their quarters. He referred to him as “My Bones” and wouldn’t let anyone else care for him. Oh, Miss Uhura or Miss Gaila were ok for a little while, and Mister Scotty was fun for a bit, but within an hour or so, he was always asking “Where’s my Bones?” As far as Jim was concerned, the sun rose and set with Leonard McCoy.

He picked up the PADD and went over the data for what seemed like the millionth time, determined to figure out what he was missing. He was about halfway through it when he heard sniffling coming from the doorway.

“Bones?” the young voice asked.

“Hey Jimmy, what’s the matter?”

Jim crossed the room until he was standing next to the chair. “Bad dream.” He put his arms up, indicating he wished to be picked up, and Bones complied. Jim immediately snuggled against him, grabbing onto the black undershirt Bones was still wearing. Bones cradled Jim’s head, placing a kiss on its top.

“It’s ok, Jimmy. I’m here. It was just a dream,” he soothed, stroking gently down the child’s back.

“I woke up and you were gone and it was just like the dream and I was a-scared.” Jim sniffed.

“I’m right here, Jimmy. I’m not going anywhere. I’m just trying to figure out how to fix you.”

Jim’s little face pulled back, looking at Bones with the same brilliant blue eyes Bones had fallen in love with. “I’m broken?”

Bones wanted to curse, realizing how it sounded. “Oh no, Jimmy. You’re perfect. You always have been. I’m just trying to make you even better. That’s all.”

That seemed to appease Jim, who smiled and placed his hand on Bones’ face. He leaned in and placed a wet kiss on his cheek before snuggling his face against Bones’ neck. “Love you, Bones. You’re the best.”

Bones heart leapt at that. He’d longed to hear those words from Jim for a while now. Not long before this fiasco, he and Jim and finally taken their relationship from friendship to something more. He knew Jim cared for him and even believed Jim loved him, but he had never said the words yet. Although these were coming from a three-year old version of Jim, and wasn’t the same KIND of love Bones was hoping for, it still meant a lot to hear it.

“I love you too, Jimmy. More than you’ll ever know. Now c’mon, let’s get you back to bed.”

He carried Jim back to the bedroom and laid him down on the bed nearest the wall. He sat on the edge of the bed, tucking Jim in.

“Stay with me?” Jim asked.

He brushed the hair from his forehead and smiled. “Until you fall asleep. I have a little more work to do and then I’ll be in.”

Jim stuck his lip out in a pout and Bones chuckled. He leaned down and placed a kiss on Jim’s forehead. “Go to sleep, darlin’. I’ll be right outside.”

A look of fear crossed Jim’s face.

“It’s ok, Jimmy. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. Now just close your eyes.”

He tucked the blanked under Jim’s chin and very quietly began to sing,

_“Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry,_   
_Go to sleepy little baby._   
_When you wake, you shall have,_   
_All the pretty little horses._

_Blacks and bays, dapples and greys,  
Go to sleepy you little baby,_

_Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry,_   
_Go to sleepy little baby._   
_Hush-a-bye, don’t you cry,_   
_Go to sleepy little baby,_   
_When you wake, you shall have,_   
_All the pretty little horses.”_

Jim’s eyes finally closed and he fell into a deep slumber with a smile on his face. Bones leaned over and placed one last kiss on his forehead before returning to his research.

He figured out what the antidote was missing early in the morning. He made the notations in the PADD and commed Uhura to see if she’d come to his quarters to watch over Jim. He knew it wouldn’t take long to synthesize the antidote, and hoped to be able to administer it before Jim awoke.

Ninety minutes later, he was standing over the bed, watching Jim sleep peacefully. He looked at the hypo in his hand before gently placing it to Jim’s exposed neck.

“Here goes nothing, Jimmy.”

He stayed for a few minutes to make sure there was no adverse reaction, and then went and sat on the couch and waited to see if it would work. Thirty minutes later, he heard a stirring from the bedroom and a voice from the door.

“Bones?”

He looked up and breathed a sigh of relief. Jim was standing there with the sheet wrapped around his waist. His Jim. He stood up and crossed the room with his tricorder, scanning Jim from head to toe.

“Oh thank god, Jim,” he said, grabbing Jim in a fierce hug.

Jim laughed and slapped him on the back, returning the hug. “Bones?”

“What do you remember, Jim?”

“Not much. I remember being on Clomer VI, I remember the dissidents, I remember them tossing something at me, and the rest is kind of fuzzy.”

“The powder they threw at you de-aged you to about three years old. It took a few days, but I finally managed to figure out how to counteract it.”

“Three? Oh that must have been fun for everyone. I didn’t do anything stupid, did I?”

 _Aside from tell me you love me? No._ “No, not really. You really don’t remember anything?”

Jim smiled. “No, not really. It’s just kinda fuzzy. Little images here and there, but nothing solid.”

Bones tried to hide the disappointment on his face.

“I remember you taking care of me. Like you always do. I remember feeling safe. I remember feeling loved.”

Bones smiled. “I’ll always take care of you Jim.”

“I know you will Bones.” Jim leaned in and kissed him gently before touching their foreheads together, his hand stroking the back of his neck. “Oh Bones,” he sighed, “I love you so much.”

Bones’ hand mirrored Jim’s and a smile broke out on his face. “I love you too, Jim.”

They stayed like that for a few moments before Jim broke away.

“I need a shower. I’ll be back in a few.” He placed a kiss to Bones’ forehead before walking into the bathroom.

Bones had to admit, he was grateful Jim didn’t remember much more than that. He wasn’t sure who would be more embarrassed, him or Jim.

Jim ducked his head out of the bathroom door. “Hey Bones?”

“Yeah, Jim.” He turned to see Jim standing there with a wicked grin on his face.

“I didn’t know you could sing.”


End file.
